


Finding Home

by alylynn122



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Awesome Clint Barton, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Bruce Banner-centric, Confused Steve Rogers, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Romance, Thor Is Not Stupid, Tony Is Not Helping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-01-03 22:07:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12155763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alylynn122/pseuds/alylynn122
Summary: Bruce Banner is good at a lot of things, mainly knowing when it is time to move on. One step ahead of Ross, always.Until he finds something -someone- who makes him want to stay.ORFive times Bruce let someone help him, and one time he helped them.





	1. Geniuses Aren't Always Smart

**Author's Note:**

> There is some swearing in this. 
> 
> Let me know what you think please!

Tony Stark, a man who had been praised as the genius of the century, was an idiot.   
  
Seriously, how could he have not seen it before?   
  
Sure, the space prince was any scientist’s wet dream, but not for THOSE reasons.   
  
“What do you mean, ‘Where is Bruce?’” Steve was asking, which was a pretty fair question as far as Tony was concerned. Thor had come **from** Bruce’s floor in nothing but boxers that were surprisingly hilarious on the demigod’s massive form. Because they were Banner’s.   
  
Why would Thor have science beaker boxers laying around?   
  
“When I awoke this morning, our domain was empty. I do not know where he might have gone, and to leave thus without a word, it worries me.”   
  
“Maybe he just went for a morning run?” Tony offered, smirking at Thor. The man glared at him, hands clenching into fists.   
  
“He spoke of fearing a man whom he called Ross, shortly before we slept. He would not say more of this Ross, but noting his absence this morning, I fear they may be connected.”   
  
All of the humor faded from Tony’s face at the name. Ross. Of course. He’d been raising a fuss ever since the battle, trying to have Banner’s immunity removed.   
  
“Ross…. That’s not good,” the billionaire said absently, scratching the back of his head as he recalled all he knew of the decorated General.   
  
“Who’s Ross?” Rogers asked, his brow furrowed.   
  
“The guy who thinks Bruce is military property, and has been petitioning courts to have him taken into custody… **His** custody, I might add,” Tony replied. He walked to the couch with hastened steps, grabbing the nearest stark pad and projecting the image to the wall across from them. He opened up a video, and turned up the volume so the two other men could hear.   
  
_“The Hulk is a danger to society, he’s destroyed countless livelihoods, and lives, and will do so again if I am not allowed to stop him.”_   
  
A tall, polished man stood in front of a podium in parade rest, relaxed in front of the cameras as if he were born for them. His white hair and gray mustache were neatly groomed, and the fire in his eyes was unmistakable.   
  
_“What about the Hulk saving New York? And Iron Man?”_ _  
_ _  
_ Ross turned to the speaking reporter and quirked an eyebrow at him.   
  
_“Tell me, young man, does a murderer stop being a murderer simply because he saves a life instead of taking it, one time?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“No, sir….”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Then I believe you have your answer,”_ the General said, medals on his chest swaying slightly as he broke his pose.   
  
_“I am grateful the Avengers managed to get the Hulk to cooperate, but what happens the next time he is out, and there are no aliens around to kill? I’ll tell you what, because we have seen it. Harlem. Ohio. India. That man- no, that_ **_monster_ ** _”_ Ross slammed his fist down onto the table, fingers clenched tightly, _“...leaves a body count behind him wherever he goes. I’m here to speak for the American people, the victims who have lost their homes, loved ones, and lives to that beast.”_ _  
_ _  
_ “He dares speak of Bruce in this manner?” Thor muttered under his breath. Tony could almost swear he heard thunder rumbling in the distance.   
  
_“Sir, isn’t it true that you had a hand in the Hulk’s creation?”_   
  
Ross sighed heavily, bringing his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose and resting his forehead against his arm momentarily. After a second, he straightened up, as if preparing to say something difficult.   
  
_“Yes, that is true. I should have seen sooner what Bruce Banner was truly doing. The kind of man he was. If I had, I might have been able to spare my daughter the pain and heartache he has brought her. I thought the man was kind, truly wanted to help people. Appearances can…. can be deceiving. Even old military gruffs like myself can fall for a facade at times. There is not a day that goes by where I don’t feel the guilt and remorse for my part in all of this. Which is why I am trying to rectify it. Hulk is not the only monster that I would be protecting us from.”_ _  
_ _  
_ “I think that’s enough,” Steve snapped, yanking the tablet from Tony’s hand and flicking the lock button. Abruptly, the video vanished and the wall was empty once more.   
  
“So, Stark, you think Ross has Bruce?” the Captain asked, turning back to face the two.   
  
“No, I have had JARVIS hacked into every network Ross uses, the man won’t be able to blow his nose without J knowing. If something happened, I would know before the courts could even sign the warrant,” Tony replied confidently.   
  
“Then where is Bruce?” Thor demanded, impatient.   
“JARVIS?”   
  
“Yes, Mr. Stark?”   
  
“Did Brucie leave the building today?”   
  
“I’m sorry, sir, I cannot tell you that.”   
  
Tony glared at the nearest camera, crossing his arms over his chest.   
  
“JARVIS, what do you mean you can’t tell me?”   
  
“I am reading a strange sequence in my coding in a section regarding surveillance in the tower, specifically regarding Dr. Banner’s floor and access codes. It appears these items do not exist.”   
  
“Banner _hacked_ you?” Tony demanded, tone incredulous. Beside him, Steve smirked.   
  
“Even I know that’s impressive,” the Captain snarked.   
  
“Stay out of it, Dorothy, this is about trust,” Tony snapped.   
  
“If I may, should you know Bruce’s history like I do, my friend, you would not question why he wishes to remain unseen.”   
  
“My house, my rules. If Bruce didn’t like it, he didn’t have to stay. That doesn’t mean you _hack another man’s AI._ That crosses so many lines,” the billionaire replied, mouth tight.   
  
“Maybe this can wait until we actually find Banner?” Steve pressed.

  
“I….”   
  
“Sir, I have news,” JARVIS interrupted, earning another glare from Tony.   
  
“Go ahead,” Steve said for him, resting a hand on Stark’s shoulder, which he allowed for almost a second before shaking off.   
  
“Dr Banner’s alias, a Robert Baker, was just listed as the subject of an issued arrest warrant.”   
  
“Why would they issue a warrant in a fake name?” Tony asked, anger replaced with curiosity.   
  
“It would appear that it was issued in congruence with the name on the identification they found in the suspect’s pocket when he was brought into custody,” JARVIS explained, sounding distastefully bored.   
  
“So it’s not Ross?” Steve questioned.   
  
“No, the warrant was issued for an assault that occurred at 6:45 AM today.”   
  
“Alright, get Happy the address and tell him I want to be at the station five minutes ago. And get Pepper, we’re going to need her,” Tony ordered, groaning inwardly at Bruce’s incompetence. Seriously, how could a guy who was so smart be such an idiot?   
  
  
And how did he not know Bruce and Thor were playing naked chicken? 

* * *

  
  
“Uh, Thor, are you really going like that?” Steve asked, pointing at the demigod’s attire.   
  
Thor was in full battle regalia, down to his helmet and cape. And of course, his hammer. Mjolnir was clenched tightly between bloodless knuckles, grasping hard enough that it would have crushed the handle of any other weapon.   
  
“Bruce is being held prisoner, why would I not come ready for battle?”   
  
“Not the way it works here, Rapunzel. We’re just going to post bail for him,” Tony said as he hopped into the passenger side of the car. Thor looked back at Steve, a question in the tilt of his head. The Captain just shrugged. By now, Tony could be talking gibberish for all he knew.   
  
The two climbed into the back of the ridiculously luxurious sports car, trying to duck under the low ceiling before plopping down onto the low seats.   
  
“It would be faster to fly,” Thor grumbled, settling Mjolnir in his lap.   
  
“You’re lucky you’re coming at all, princess, looking like that. You’re going to be waiting in the car anyways. Let Mom and Dad do all the talking,” Tony responded from the front seat, shooting them a grin from over his shoulder.   
  
“Wait, who is going to be Mom?” Steve asked at the same time as Thor said, “My mother and father do not reside in this realm.”   
  
“He-Man, not what I meant. Cap, obviously it will be Pepper. You didn’t put on your face this morning.”   
  
Steve and Thor shared another confused look, the demigod raising his empty hand to gesture at the front seat helplessly.   
  
Steve pretended not to see Tony cracking up in the mirror. 

* * *

  
Thor was growing tired.   
  
The strange man who was called happy was actually quite grumpy. He blasted loud music and glowered at the rain striking his windshield, rolling up the window with a huff. The silence in the vehicle was not at all pleasant, which left Thor only to brood, worry, and try to remember why he trusted their young Captain in the first place.   
  
Finally, finally, after what seemed hours, Stark’s red-headed lover walked out with the inventor in tow, while the Captain followed shortly behind with his arm around Bruce, who seemed to be leaning on the younger man heavily.   


Seeing him, Thor was out of the car and approaching before he could muster up the restraint to stay seated. Someone had been cruel to his lover, the man’s kind face was peppered with heavy, dark bruises, and he was limping quite visibly. Thor offered him his arm when he neared, and Bruce gratefully took it, letting go of the Captain with a soft smile.   
  
“Thanks,” he whispered into Thor’s ear, not quite meeting his eyes.   
  
“You are hurt,” Thor said accusingly. Banner sighed, leaning a little less heavily on the demigod as he tried to slide into the back of the car. Thor longed to just pick him up and carry him home, but somehow sensed that would not be appropriate right now. Something had changed.   
  
“You should see the other guy,” Bruce chuckled. Pepper shot him a glare before walking to her own car, reluctantly letting go of Tony before the billionaire took his own seat.   
  
“The Hulk is also injured?” Thor demanded, worry lacing his voice. Bruce chuckled wryly.   
  
“No, Thor, it’s okay. It’s a saying here on Earth. It means I won.”   
  
Thor grinned brilliantly, thumping Bruce on the back, not noticing the latter’s wince at the action.   
  
“You vanquished your foe! That is indeed worthy of praise, we must celebrate! Was he mighty, was he fearless, was he…”   
  
“He was a harmless man out walking with his teenage son,” Steve cut in as he slammed his door shut. Bruce did not flinch at his tone, but Thor felt the man stiffen beside him. Gently, he took the scientist’s hand in his own. Bruce clutched him tightly.   
  
“He could not have been completely harmless, have you not seen Bruce’s face?” Thor replied sharply.   
  
“Banner threw the first punch,” Tony said from the front seat. Happy drove them onto the highway, face unreadable, and for once, Thor was grateful for the man’s silence.   
  
“So what gives, Banner? Did he say something about the Hulk? Was he a creationist? I’ve wanted to punch a few of those anti-science assholes in the face too, but it’s not something you can just go around doing when…”   
  
“He hit him,” Bruce said simply, levelling his gaze with Tony’s.   
  
“Hit who?” Steve asked.   
  
“His son. He hit his son,” Bruce replied, tone even and face emotionless.   
  
“Bruce…” Tony started.   
  
“Perhaps he was teaching his son the ways of battle?” Thor offered, gliding his thumb over the back of Bruce’s hand in a soothing manner. He knew the man’s history, at least this part, as did most on the team.   
  
“No, Thor. He just… They were talking, and suddenly he just went off on him. There was no teaching, sparring doesn’t really happen on Earth besides for in certain places. He was beating him,” Bruce said. Steve closed his mouth, seeming to think better of whatever he was about to say.   
  
“Bruce, now really isn’t the time to go out playing vigilante…” Tony said, then cut himself off. He turned in his seat and looked at the scientist as if seeing him for the first time.   
  
“Where did you get those clothes?”   
  
“Tony, what does that-”   
  
“Shht, Cap,” the billionaire said with a palm shoved in Steve’s direction, “I am talking to Bruce now. So tell me, Banner, where did you get the clothes?”   
  
Thor looked down at Bruce’s outfit. They were indeed clothes he had never seen the man wear before. Pants that were much too big, ankles rolled up over dirty shoes with a hole in the big toe of one, and a loose shirt that smelled of must and sweat.   
  
Bruce just glared at the engineer, eyes hard and body motionless.   
  
“You were running away,” Tony said lamely.   
  
“After everything, you were just fucking running away? You didn’t say bye to anyone, hacked JARVIS and just took off into the night... err, morning! What about us being friends? What about Thor? Didn’t you think of anyone but yourself before deciding to play the martyr again?!” the billionaire exploded all at once, and Thor felt Banner’s fingers tighten almost painfully around his own. Instinctively, he dropped the physicist’s hand.   
  
“It wasn’t running away, it was proactive,” Bruce said quietly, eyes on the windshield, head high as he watched the raindrops burst on the glass before being swiped away by the blades of the wipers.   
  
“Call it what you want, Big Guy, but you were fucking running away. You were _leaving_ , and you didn’t even have the decency to say goodbye.”   
  
“Is this true?” Thor asked softly, turning to face the man beside him.   
  
“Thor….” Bruce pleaded, directing his attention to the demigod, laying a soothing hand on his shoulder. Thor shook it off, as if the touch had burned him.   
  
“Perhaps it is not the same on Midgard, but in Asgard, we face the end of a courtship with courtesy due a warrior. I did not take you for a coward, Banner,” Thor snapped.   
  
They rode in heavy silence for a minute, until Tony spoke up again.   
  
“Goldilocks is right, Banner. That was pretty shitty of you to-”   
  
“Enough,” Bruce said, so calm and yet his tone was sharp enough to shatter ice. The word flung out like a gunshot, ricocheting off the walls of the enclosed space.   
  
“This wasn’t about you. This wasn’t about any of you. Christ, it wasn’t even about me, so lay off. Thor, I love you, I didn’t want to leave and I wasn’t trying to break up with you. Tony, yes I stole clothes because I know you put trackers on literally everything. If Ross gets his arrest warrant, I won’t ever see the light of day again. But this wasn’t even about that. It’s about the fact that if Ross gets his hands on me, he’ll have access to the most dangerous weapon in the world, and he is not the kind of man who would use it for good. I was trying to _protect_ you.”   
  
In the front seat, Tony hung his head in his hands, making a mess of his hair with a heavy huff. Thor turned his head to the window, lost in thought. Steve looked at Banner as if the man had been speaking in tongues.   
  
It was Happy who finally broke the silence.   
  
“That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Aren’t you supposed to be some sort of genius?”   
  
“I… What?” Banner managed, blinking at the driver in surprise.   
  
“You got Tony Stark as a best friend, Captain America as a character witness, a literal _god_ as a boyfriend, one of the most deadly assassins in the world watching your ass, and that circus boy with the bow and the tights as your green guy’s babysitter. Plus, Pepper Potts handling your media relations and legal matters and all them other big words. And you think that your best option is to run away and disappear?”   
  
All eyes were on Happy now, who continued looking at the road as if he hadn’t spoken. When no one replied, he went on, all to happy to fill the silence and call out Banner’s stupidity as if he wasn’t the smartest man in the world.   
  
“Doc, you’re going to run off and live in a shanty in some third world country until either Eyepatch or Mustachio find you, and then you’re gonna live the rest of your life in a cage at the best. Now, I don’t know about you, but to me, I’d place my money on staying and letting my friends fight for me. Uncle Sam can take you to court, but you’ve got a star-spangled saint saying you’re safe to be walking free. And I pity anyone who has the balls to take on Mrs. Potts. That woman is something.”   
  
“So listen, you got two choices. Run and get caught, or stay here and see how it works out. You’ve already tried the running thing, so it don’t seem like that far of a stretch to try it the other way, now does it?”   
  
“I…..” Bruce sighed, heavily, and sagged in his seat, staring at the road ahead as if it held an answer for him.   
  
“Bruce, should you ever need a haven, all you need do is ask. I will bring you to Asgard and shelter you there,” Thor added, taking up the man’s hand in his own again. Bruce looked at him, eyes bewildered. The demigod could read an apology in a thousand different languages in the scientist’s shocked face, and he gently tilted Bruce’s chin up and grazed his lips with his own.   
  
“I love you,” Bruce whispered against his cheek when they parted.   
  
“And I you,” Thor promised before reclaiming the man’s mouth in a searing kiss.   
  
“Alright, alright, you two are getting steamier than Destiel fanfiction, which I definitely do not read, by the way. So lay off and save it for home,” Tony barked from the front.   
  
“There is nothing in that sentence that makes sense, Stark…”   
  
Bruce laughed against Thor’s lips and kissed him again, breaking off only to breathlessly, carefully repeat, “Yeah… _home.”_


	2. Even Warriors Need Rest

“Bruce?”    
  
Thor called out, like he always did now when he awoke, ever since Bruce had left. The man had promised to talk to him first, next time, but words did little to appease the fear that coiled in his gut when he awoke to an empty bed.    
  
“In here.”    
  
Thor followed the words to the sitting room, where he found Bruce sitting on the floor, back against the kitchen counter, directly across from the elevator door. The demigod followed his line of sight, but saw only the smooth metal doors.    
  
“Why do you not join me in bed?” he asked gently, stepping into the scientist’s line of sight.    
  
“I can’t sleep,” Bruce said simply, bringing his eyes up to meet Thor’s. Purple ringed them, as it had for the last week, ever since they brought the man back home. Most nights Thor woke to feel his lover sliding back beneath the sheets somewhere near morning, shortly before the dawn.    
  
It was still hours before dawn, and Thor had no idea how long his physicist had been sitting here, apparently staring at nothing.    
  
“What ails you?”    
  
“Ross… I just…” Bruce sighed, fisting his pants between his knuckles. Thor lowered himself to the ground beside him, propped against the counter. He stole Bruce’s hand from its grip, moving it to his own lap and wrapping it in his own two.    
  
“My love, he cannot touch you here. He must convince your council, first. We will be updated in the morning, as always. Losing sleep over this will do nothing for you.”    
  
Bruce shifted, leaning his head against Thor’s shoulder, his warmth a comfortable weight on the demigod’s arm.    
“My gut told me to run a week ago… Fear is primal, instinctual. It’s on a level that can’t be reasoned with. This is all new. And there are too many variables. One day I will wake up to the door being kicked in, and they will drag me out and away and Ross will use me to hurt so many people… I can’t let that happen,” he murmured, voice weary and strained.    
  
Thor moved his head to look into Bruce’s honeyed brown eyes, finding determination and strength in the man’s gaze, despite his tone.    
  
“You forget we share a bed chamber. I would not let such a thing happen, I swear by it,” Thor replied, hard as steel.    
  
He had encountered these thoughts before, sometimes in a dream. He always awoke fighting, grabbing Mjolnir from by his side and preparing for enemies that were never there.    
  
Lately, the dreams had shifted into seeing the soldier coming into their room and trying to steal Bruce, as he had described. But Thor was not afraid. Humans were a mighty species, but they were not gifted with Asgardian strength, and the Hulk was likely the strongest being in creation. There was nothing to fear, whatever came, they would face it together.    
  
Still, that notion did not always stop the churning in his gut.    
  
Apparently, it also did not help Bruce to sleep without worry.    
  
He looked down at his lover, a warrior preparing for a fight that might never come, but could come at any moment.    
  
“Is it time to take us to Asgard?” Thor asked quietly.    
  
He was loathe to take Bruce somewhere else, where he would have to prove himself yet again. Though part of him did want to share the realm of his birth with the scientist, and to garner his parent’s approval for his mate.    
  
“No, not yet.. I don’t want Ross to think I’m running away from this,” Bruce said.    
  
Thor shifted, resting his chin on top of Banner’s curls, feeling his breaths against his side.    
  
“Tell me how the Fury found you.”   
  
Bruce smiled, and Thor felt the muscles of his temple tighten beneath his jaw.    
  
“It was Natasha who was sent for me. I don’t know how they knew where I was, she never told me.”    
  
“Natasha is a cunning huntress. How did she manage to lure you in? It must have been an elaborate trap.”    
  
Bruce laughed, quick and easy, pulling away from Thor to grin at him. The demigod returned his smile joyously, happy to be the cause of it. The scientist stretched his legs out in front of him, uncurling slightly to lean against Thor, who chuckled and brought an arm around his shoulders to draw him near.    
  
“It wasn’t really all that complicated. Cunning, but not elaborate. I actually feel kind of stupid for not seeing it coming, even though I guess I kind of knew.”    
  
“Are you evading the question, Banner?” Thor teased, earning another smile.    
  
“She sent a kid, a little girl, to tell me one of her family was sick. I followed her, and that was it. The building was surrounded, Natasha was there… There was no way to refuse her unless I wanted to make a scene….”    
  
Bruce huffed a dry laugh, hollow and mirthless.    
  
“What?” Thor asked cautiously.    
  
“It’s how they get me. Every single time. ‘Don’t want to hurt anyone’, ‘It’s been a year without an incident, you don’t want to break that streak’, ‘no one wants an incident in a populated area’. You’d think one day, a man who is supposed to be as smart as me, would be able to find a way out of that.”    
  
“Your control is remarkable,” Thor frowned, “but if they have guns, your only other choice is to trust your green berserker side. On Asgard, you would be honored as a hero. I don’t know why some despise you so, here.”    
  
At his side, Banner sighed low and deep.    
  
“It’s because they are scared of what they can’t explain. The Other Guy, he is an anomaly. He doesn’t fit into their neat little world. There is no box for him. Kind of like you, our existence isn’t in their idea of how the world works, and they want us to go away so they can go back to pretending they have control.”    
  
“Loki said something similar, once. He called their perspectives limited.”    
  
Bruce laughed, a real one this time.    
  
“Your brother is crazy, but he isn’t completely wrong.”    
  
“I don’t know if your ability to consider all possibilities objectively is admirable or worrying,” Thor snorted, ruffling Bruce’s curls as he spoke.    
  
“Both? I dunno,” the scientist said between yawns.    
  
“Sunrise grows near. Are you ready to sleep yet?”   
  
Bruce’s humor disappeared. He glanced at the elevator doors again, their reflections hazy in the polished metal.    
  
“I don’t know if I can. It doesn’t make any sense. On the run, I could make myself sleep anywhere. But here, where I am actually safe… I can’t seem to convince myself that I am.”    
  
Thor tilted his head up, deep in thought, before his face broke out into a brilliant smile. Bruce looked up at him, his own lips curling up at the ends.    
  
“Uh oh, I know that face. What is your idea now?”    
  
Thor rose to his feet, then leaned down to offer Bruce a hand up.    
  
“Come,” he said, “I will show you.”   
  
Bruce smiled, gingerly taking his hand and hoisting himself up, back popping as he did so. He groaned with relief, smiling wryly.    
  
“Maybe I should put a pillow there next time.”    
  
Thor chuckled as he lead him back to the bedroom, where the first rays of the sun were just peeking through the gap between the curtains and curtain rod. Normally, they would be waking up at this time, going down to prepare for the day. But Natasha and Clint were out on missions, Tony was in Malibu, and Steve was doing a country tour for Veteran’s Day. They were the tower’s only main residents. As thus, there was no one to give them any lip if they slept in one morning.    
  
As they came into the room, Thor lead Bruce to the bed. The latter climbed on carefully, as if still unused to the way the surface moved beneath him, and turned to watch Thor when he realized the former was not joining him.    
  
The demigod retrieved his hammer from the bedside, hoisting it easily and bringing it across the room to the door. He closed the solid oak door, which Tony had reassured him was reinforced with something called adamantium inside, and then latched it solidly, using the chain they had bought to secure it. Once that was in place, he looked back at Bruce and smiled.    
  
The man watched him curiously, adoration in every line of his face. Thor had never seen a bed look so welcoming, the gentle sunlight framing Bruce’s face in a halo of light breaching his curls, a gentle smile brightening his half-lidded eyes. He was exhausted, haggard, worn down, and he was still the most striking being Thor had ever seen. Strength sang in the curve of his shoulders, ferocity coiled in the space of his fingers. He was the gentlest warrior Thor had ever known, and one day, he hoped he wouldn’t need to do this to convince the man he could rest.    
  
Thor set Mjolnir down in front of the door, pushing it close to the crack where it would swing open. Only the worthy, now, would be able to open this door.    
  
Their enemies could still find a way through the reinforced windows, or through the secure walls, or through the minutely tiny vents. Evil finds its way into any space.    
  
But when Thor joined Bruce in bed, the man immediately curled against him. Head on the demigod’s chest, listening to his heartbeat hammer in his ears. Thor breathed deeply, felt Bruce match his breathing to his own, their chests rose and fell together. Sharing one breath and one space.    
  
Thor pulled Bruce closer, buried his fingers in his wild curls, pulled the covers up over them and tucked the man tightly against his side.    
  
Bruce smiled, a gentle, tired sigh escaped him, and he relaxed wholly in his lover’s arms. Too tired to question, he let himself trust. Just for a bit, just for now.    
  
Yes, evil would always find a way in. There would always be something to fear, something to worry about.    
  
But for now, this was enough.    
  
Before the sun even crested past the peaks of the apartment buildings surrounding them, both warriors were fast asleep, gathering their strength for the next fight. 


	3. Happiness Comes in Small Doses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's turn!

It was mid-morning when Thor awoke, content to find the bed was not empty yet again. It had been several days of this routine now, waking up to find Bruce in the few hours before the morning, coaxing him back to bed after his vigil, and planting Mjolnir before the door while they caught some more hours of sleep.    
  
Bruce was sitting up, leaning against his pillow on the headboard, a notepad in his hand, resting on his knees.    
  
Thor curled closer to him, his head resting against the scientist’s hip. Wordlessly, Bruce brought his left arm down and rested it on the warrior’s shoulder.    
  
“Good morning,” he said warmly, brown eyes finding Thor’s blue. The demigod noted happily that they were a little less purple, The man actually looked like he had slept a few hours.    
  
“By this hour, you are usually already in your study, or with Stark.” he said casually. Bruce looked back at his work with a sheepish smile, his hand absently stroking up and down Thor’s arm .    
  
“I figured it wouldn’t hurt to work in here for a little while,” Bruce shrugged, the motion jostling Thor’s perch enough to get him to sit up.    
  
“That is odd for someone like yourself. Do you still feel unsafe?”   
  
Bruce laid the tablet down and caught Thor’s hand as he cast the covers away. The demigod tightened their hold, and looked at the man with worry.    
  
“No, Thor, not at all. I still… Well, I worry still, I guess. But with you? I feel safe,”    
  
“Then why do you remain?”    
  
Bruce huffed playfully, and Thor followed his gaze to the door.    
  
Oh.    
  
“Do I really need a reason to want to spend the morning with you?” the scientist said.    
  
Thor grinned at him, sitting up fully and letting the sheets slide off his legs.    
  
“And Mjolnir barricading the door?”    
  
Bruce laughed mischievously.    
  
“I didn’t even notice.”   
  
Thor met the man’s eyes with a softer, more suggestive smile.    
  
“Well then, I suppose you wouldn’t object if it were to remain a few moments longer.”    
  
Bruce’s smile faded, and his hand tensed in Thor’s. The thunderer didn’t move, just held himself frozen and waited for his lover to look at him properly. After a second, he did. Upon seeing his face, Bruce’s anxiety fled, and was replaced with a timid, understanding quirk of his lips.    
  
“Well…..”    
  
The scientist’s eyes fell hungrily on the warrior’s naked form, temptation written in every line of his being.    
  
“Alright, but you get to explain to Tony why we missed lunch.”    
  
Thor claimed his lips before he could finish the sentence, relishing the way Bruce fitted against him and the sound of his laugh in his ears.    
  
“Somehow, I believe this is one tale he would rather not hear.”    
  
Bruce’s smile was easy and real, a beaming glance up at the demigod initiated another bout of kissing, and distantly, Thor found himself grateful the surveillance in their room wasn’t working.    
  
This moment was only for them.    
  


* * *

  
  
“Looks like you two finally decided to wake up,” Clint commented as they exited the elevator, hands clasped between them.    
  
“We have been up many hours,” Thor said dryly, eliciting a snort out of Natasha.    
  
“Ahh, gross Hercules, that’s an image I did not need in my head!” Tony moaned from the kitchen, looking up from his plate on the counter to glare at them.    
  
“You Midgardians have such a strange aversion to love-making,” Thor said, “On Asgard, we….”   
  
“Nope!” Tony barked, “Nope, that is where I draw the line! I really don’t need to hear about any alien orgies while I’m eating.”    
  
Bruce chuckled, dropping Thor’s hand reluctantly to go sit beside Natasha on the couch.    
  
“How’s the arm?” he asked, gesturing to her right arm which was resting in a sling.    
  
The spy smiled, all sharp and vicious, a spark in her eye.    
  
“Only a few days away from our rematch.”    
  
Bruce bit his lip, eyes still on her swollen wrist.    
  
“I don’t think that’s a good idea…” he said softly, ducking his head to avoid the woman’s eyes **.** **  
** **  
** “I didn’t take you for a coward, doc.”    
  
Bruce looked up to find Natasha’s fist clenched and her jaw set, glaring at him intently. He just chuckled.    
  
“Why do people keep saying that to me lately?”    
  
He sighed, taking his glasses into his hands and cleaning them on his shirt, his voice soft and low.    
  
“I wasn’t careful last time and I hurt you, Natasha. Wanting to be safe is not being a coward.”    
  
“Actually, it kinda is, doc,” Clint said from his perch at the counter. Huffing, Bruce placed returned his glasses to his face and shot a pointed look at the archer.    
  
“I…..”   
  
“Bruce, don’t insult me,” Natasha interrupted, drawing the man’s attention back to her.    
  
“I’m…. sorry?”    
  
“I’m not a battered woman. I’m no different from any of you. Soldier, spy, assassin, whatever you want to call us. We were sparring, I got hurt, life goes on. Treating me with kid gloves isn’t going to help me when an enemy pulls the same move you did and I don’t have a block for it. So put your big kid pants on, and find a way to deal with it. I’ll see you in the gym in three days time.”    
  
With that, the redhead popped off the couch and strode away, leaving a dumb-founded Bruce blinking at the spot she had been sitting.    
  
Thor’s laughter boomed out a moment later, shaking the scientist from his stupor.    
  
“Now that is a fierce woman, I would love to see her and the lady Sif do battle!”    
  
Bruce turned to Thor with a grin, about to make a quip back, when Tony’s phone started ringing.    
  
“Really, Tony?” Bruce groaned, “Iron Man?”    
  
“I did not know you had a song dedicated to your Man of Iron, Stark! How enthralling! You must tell me the name of the bard who wrote this!” 

  
Tony held up a hand to them with only one finger up, earning a boyish giggle from Clint.    
  
“Sorry Pepper, I couldn’t hear you over the kids, what were you saying?”    
  
Tony strode to the door, not closing it quite before Clint called out, “Speaking of fierce women, good luck, Stark!”    
  
Bruce moved into the kitchen to heat up some water on the kettle, grabbing his mug and tea from his cupboard. Thor approached the scientist from behind, being sure to make a sound before wrapping his arms around Bruce and tucking the man’s head under his chin. Bruce’s hands came up to cover Thor’s, and he turned his head to plant a kiss on the underside of the demigod’s jaw. Thor hummed his approval, pulling the smaller man a little closer to him, holding him tightly.    
  
He felt Banner jump when the tea kettle started whistling, and reluctantly let him go. He watched the man fill his mug and drop some tea into it. He pursed his lips in disapproval, but chose not to say anything about Bruce’s lack of breakfast. Again.    
  
“Hey, Thor, can I see you for a minute?”    
  
Thor turned to see Tony peering at him from the door, and felt Bruce stiffen behind him.    
  
“Aye,” he replied, giving Bruce a quick kiss on his curls before joining the billionaire in the hallway.    
  
Bruce plopped back down onto the sofa, trying to hide the shaking in his hands. It was about him, he knew it. He thought of Ross, of vivisection tables and biting metal restraints and total helplessness….    
  
“ _ Shit _ ,” he swore as the tea in his mug spilled over onto his hands. Natasha was there in an instant, taking the cup from his grasp and calling to Clint to get her an ice pack. He wanted to tell her that ice was no longer the proper treatment for a burn, but found himself unable to speak. He could feel needles going into his spine, his breath catching in his throat like a misfiring engine, eyes hazy and unfocused. He saw Ross’ eyes and felt hands on him. Heard his mother’s screams.    
  
“Bruce, hey, listen to me, you’re fine,” Natasha said in a surprisingly soothing voice. She was applying the ice to his palms and it felt so nice, so cooling. The sensation brought him back, and he saw her green eyes instead. Soft, concerned, looking directly into his own.    
  
“Hey Bruce, I don’t know where you went, but come back. We’re right here.”    
  
He nodded, and she smiled.    
  
“That’s it, you okay?”    
  
He never would have pegged Tasha for the reassuring type, but apparently she knew how to handle panic attacks. As he came back into himself, Bruce knew without a doubt that was what he’d had. He hadn’t experienced one since before the Hulk’s appearance, but he had never stayed when his gut told him to leave either.    
  
“Good, Bruce, good. You stay here, I’m going to go get Thor.”    
  
She started to rise from where she had knelt in front of him, but he shook his head, taking her hand back in his own.    
  
“No… no. It’s okay. I’m okay. Thank you,” he reassured her. She looked down at him as if decided for a moment, then nodded, sitting down on the couch beside him.    
  
“It’s going to be alright, you know,” she said.    
  
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye as he leaned down to grab his tea from the coffee table.    
  
“You don’t know that.” She smiled, and now he saw the darkness creeping in, the assassin that lurked in the shadows of her smile.    
  
“I do, actually, because there is no other acceptable outcome. We will make it happen, one way or another. So don’t you worry.”    
  
He had no time to respond before he heard the door open again and felt Thor’s hands fall onto his shoulders. He peered up at the demigod, who towered over him, and saw his eyes fall to the ice pack pressed against Bruce’s other hand.    
  
“What happened?” he demanded.    
  
Bruce looked to Natasha, not daring to shake his head, but knowing she would understand anyways.    
  
She smiled coyly, turning her gaze to Thor and shrugging.    
  
“Bruce sat down a little too quickly and spilled some tea, they are barely even second degree. He’ll be fine.”    
  
Leaning down to take Bruce’s injured hand in his own, Thor brought his lips gently to the spot below the burn, where the kiss wouldn’t hurt. Bruce blushed as Clint made kissy sounds from his perch in the kitchen. He threw a pillow at the archer, hitting him directly in the forehead. Barton made undignified noises of complaint while Natasha threw snide remarks at him, and Bruce felt the last of his panic edge away. He dragged Thor down for a kiss, and found himself at peace. They were right, no matter what, they were all on his ride together.    
  
He smiled against Thor’s lips and felt the demigod tilt his head in question.    
  
“I love you,” he said, half in explanation. Thor’s smile lit up his entire face and he scooped Bruce up from the couch entirely, spilling more of the now-cooled tea onto the scientist’s shirt. But neither of them found it within themselves to care. They only broke apart when Tony came in and made mock sounds of disgust, but Thor refused to put him down. Glancing over his shoulder, Bruce caught a knowing smirk from Natasha, and found that, for once, he was right where he wanted to be. 


End file.
